li^^OOL MOON
Volume 59, No. 7
ALBEMARLE HIGH NEWSPAPER
311 Park Ridge Road Albemarle NC 28001
982-3711
APRIL 1994
Ninth Graders To Be Shipped Back to Middle School
by Emily Stonestreet
Have you ever noticed that freshmen just do not quite seem to fit in here at Albemarle High School?
According to a recent vote, the senior class feels that fourteen aixl fifteen year olds are too immature
to share the same school facility. This year the school administrators have been working hard to give
seniors special priviledges, and they have finally come up with an agreeable propwsal.
In light of the fact that the average freshman’s maturity level is not up to par, the seniors would
like to have them tr^ferred back to the Middle School. This action, they feel, would give them one
extra year to grow up. Another reason that senios
want this change to be made is because they are tired of the unwanted supervision of freshmen parents
constantly hanging around the high school to pick their kids up.
The senior class worked extra hard and devised a workable means of making the transition smooth.
The would-be-freshmen next year will have classes at the Senior Center. All teachers that have ninth
grade classes are making arrangements to drive to the Center, as well, for those periods.
The freshmen already attending Albemarle High School are lucky. Originally, the seniors wanted
to have them moved back to the Middle School at the beginning of the third nine-week grading period.
Although, this plan had to be modified, a definite arrangement has already been qjproved for next
year.
All Hot and Bothered!
by Shannon Homesley
j
Michael checks his watch for 1:00 P.M.
To keep students comfortable throughout the
school days, the air conditioning/heating system
is switched twice aycar. Smce ithas already been
turned for the winter months, our maintenance
people have TK)t gone into the room that stores the
AC/heat machine. But recently, when the main
tenance crew went to prepare for the spring
switch, they realized that the part that processes
the coolant has been broken. After consulting
with the company that made our AC/heater, Mr.
Taylor and Gene Starnes have found out that a
company in Washington state will have to make
a totally new part and ship it to us. However, they
are in the midst of producing another machine
which is nmning automatically through the as
sembly line. So there is no way the part can be
here and installed before July 24. As a result,
students and faculty wUl be getting out of school
at 1:30 every day in May.
All-Girl/All Boy English Classes Next Year
Freshmen remain at the bottom of the totem pole, but these rising sophomores
will not have to return to the Middle School.
Classes to be scheduled two per dav. 3 hours each
A New Approach to the Eight Subject Year
by Shannon Homesley
Since the end of the 92-93 school year, the
AHS faculty and staff have been debating a
dramatic school change: the eight-subject school
year. But, they have now decided not to have four
periods a semester. Actually, the school board
has decided on having two periods every nine
weeks. One will be an academic, one an elective.
These three hour and fifteen minute classes will
give you plenty of class time to do your work. A
ten minute water break will be allowed during
classes, at the teacher’s convenience. This will
be quite a long time to sit in one class and hear
about the same subject. However, Dr. Church
thinks it will improve grades. He said, “Students
will now only have two classes to study for and
can dedicate much more time to each class.
Education will be more serious to the students.”
So start getting more sleep at night and be pre
pared to sit through three hours of class.
Heather hopes two periods will cut
down on her work load.
ULU« r u
The trial period will begin in the fall of the
1994-95 school year. All underclassmen will be
involved in this expe^ent, and hopefully the
changes will be positive.
By Michele Smith
The School Board has been busy making studies than their
plans for the 1994-95 school year. Their goal is
•to make a better educational environment for
Albemarle High School students. There are
many different changes that the school will be
making next year. Some major changes are
going to be made.
One such change is sexually segregated class
rooms. The school board has decided that by
putting all girls or all boys in a class will make a
better learning situation. Of course, before any
definate change is made there must be a trial
period. They will start by segregating English
classes.
If segregation proves to be advantageous, all
classes will follow suit. “A lot of other schools
have begun to segregate male and female stu-
lents and test scores have sky rocketed. I feel that
same will happen for Albemarle,” stated one
school board member.
Through this plan the student’s will have
fewer distractions, since communication between
Sexes will not be allowed. The goal of this plan
is to direct the students' attention more on their
Off-Campus Lunch for Whole School
by Shannon Homesley
Girls try out the new segregation
policy.
Starting in December, seniors were able to
leave on four Fridays forlimch. These trial dates
went extremely well. As a result, next year the
whole school will have the privelege of leaving
every Friday for lunch.
Lunch will be one hour long, cutting classes
by fifteen minutes on Fridays, to fit the new
schedule. For all people imder the age of sixteen
or without cars, a path will paved so they can
walk to Burger King, Hardees, or any other
restaurants on that side of town. But for bad
weather days, a SCUSA bus will be provided.
The school board unanimously passed this
idea because they believe that the students need
a break from all of their hard work. Since so
many people on the honor roll for the first semes
ter they are trying to reward the students in some
way. They are also looking at a plan that will
allow students tofinish the school day at twelve
o'clock on the second and fourth Friday of each
of the spring and summer months!
Keep up the good work and maybe more
incentive programs will be added in years to
come.
=5
Renea is overjoyed to hear she can
leave for lunch!